Fantastic! You've just signed the lowest cost bid for the 10 copiers you've bought (or leased for the next 36 months). You got the "best deal" for your office by playing hardball and making the copier sales guy nearly tear up when you signed the contract.

You've won, right?

Did you?

A month or two from now, that low initial price will be great, but here’s what you didn’t consider when you got that “great price.”

Six months down the road, how frequently has your equipment been down? How easy is it to get a response from your copier dealer?

Don’t forget to think about the quality and overall value when you’re buying or leasing your next copier.

Cheap Doesn’t Equal Low-Cost

How many times have you bought the less-expensive model of something -- vacuum cleaner, blender, deck chair, clothing . . . you get the idea.

How often were you replacing that lower cost option within a year or two -- and paid more than you would have if you had bought the higher-quality product in the beginning?

Look, I get it. We all love a bargain and feeling like we got a great deal. A great deal, in business and life, is one that provides long-term value, not a short-term thrill.

Here are a few things to consider when price trumps everything:

Bait and Switch

A low up-front cost could hide higher add-ons down the road. Over the life of the equipment, lost productivity and higher maintenance costs undermine the value of your “great deal.”  

Did Your Provider Take the Time to Understand Your Needs?

In your desire to get the best price, did you work with someone who took the time to understand your business goals, priorities, and document output needs? Are you sure the equipment provided to you is the equipment you actually need to accomplish your business goals? 

Or is the lower-volume printer struggling to keep up with higher-volume demands than it’s designed for? (And requiring more frequent maintenance because of that.)

Quality

Your business relies on good equipment to work as flawlessly as possible. That starts with buying the best equipment that matches your business needs and goals. Then, you need to back those quality devices with quality service.

Service After the Sale

Ongoing care and maintenance of copiers and printers in your office is often overlooked as an element of a productive and efficient office. When your equipment isn’t working (and even the most well-maintained printers can jam or malfunction), your office’s productivity is hamstrung.

Remember, the company you buy your copiers/printers from needs to make money too. When you get a “deal” with the lowest price they can offer, you can be sure they’ll cut corners elsewhere – or charge extra for additional services you may need. 

We all need to pay attention to the bottom line. However, don’t be penny-wise and pound foolish.

Think about how important the equipment you’re buying or leasing is to your office’s productivity. When you have the wrong equipment or it breaks down from overuse, what happens to your productivity?

The next time you start focusing solely on “what’s this gonna cost me?!?!?!”, think about the overall value of quality equipment and service (and the accompanying uptime and productivity).